Africa, Chile, China .. (Three Trips, Eight Countries, 2,400 -- and a $60 Million Pentagon Tab)

[Dog]

Africa, Chile, China. . . Next Outer Mongolia?

Three Trips, Eight Countries, 2,400 People

-- and a $60 Million Pentagon Tab Any viewer of the evening news could easily see that President Clinton sharply increased his travels out of town last year. But only now has the cost and scale of some of these trips been calculated. In the course of just three of his out-of-country excursions during 1998, President Clinton spent $72.1 million of the taxpayers' money to bring 2,401 people with him to eight countries (six in Africa plus Chile and China), report General Accounting Office (GAO) accountants after a one-year investigation.

These 2,401 people plus the President and lots of equipment and supplies were carried to and fro during the course of 297 Air Force missions, many of which involved several flights, often by gigantic C-5 cargo aircraft or by specialized military VIP jets, says the GAO in its draft study, "Presidential Travel: Costs and Accounting for the President's 1998 Trips to Africa, Chile, and China," provided to the Senators who last year requested it. (Note that the GAO used the term "mission" as a flight or flights on a military plane that included one or more flight segments, such as a round- trip flight to a foreign destination and a return flight to home base, or as a flight plan that included multiple flight segments.)

The defense budget paid for 84 percent, or $60.5 million, of the total cost of these trips, specifically from the Operation and Maintenance account (which pays for the day-to-day operations of our military forces, including equipment maintenance and support, purchase of spare parts, and training), and from the Transportation Working Capital Fund.

The GAO study relied upon data provided by the Pentagon and only includes the incremental cost of each trip, ignoring, for example, routine military payroll. In addition, the report only analyzes three overseas trips -- the President traveled to nine other countries in 1998 alone.

Because of the President's travels throughout Africa, the Air Force was forced to cancel or refuse 26 air missions that it would have flown in its regular duties, and postponed 30 others, according to a press report [St. Louis Post Dispatch, 1/10/99].

Normally, the Air Force's cargo aircraft are used to ferry Army, Navy, and Air Force troops and supplies around the world. It's a small wonder there is some resentment and bitterness over what some considered a wasteful use of military aircraft and crews to transport unneeded people and excess baggage, as reflected in this statement by one Air Force officer: "It's excessive. And there's no accountability." [St. Louis Post Dispatch, 1/10/99].

Slashing the Pentagon's Budget, While Spending it on Himself

While President Clinton has been spending defense dollars for his own travels, he has slashed the Pentagon's budget every year he has been in office. When he became President, the defense budget was some $300 billion. By 1997, that number had fallen to $254 billion (or $224.7 billion, holding inflation constant), an incredible 25-percent drop in real economic terms, and this in an era where federal spending otherwise grew by some 16 percent.

This year, the President promised to increase defense spending by $110 billion over six years, with a $12 billion bump-up in 1999 alone. Even this figure falls far short of the recommendations of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) who, in 1998 (as Clinton and his entourage racked up over 5,400 air hours on three trips), testified as to a need for $148 billion over six years, with an increase of $17.5 billion this year alone. And their $17.5 billion requirement excluded the $2.5 billion needed for pay raises and enhanced benefits, bringing the total 1999 requirement to $20 billion. Overall, the President's defense spending plan was at least $40.5 billion less over six years -- and $8 billion less in 1999 -- than the levels outlined by the Joint Chiefs in 1998.

During his presidency, Clinton has used U.S. forces abroad 45 times. Even now, at least 200 U.S. troops are bound for East Timor. These deployments are in addition to the 6,900 U.S. troops in Bosnia, 7,000 troops in Kosovo, and some 20,000 troops -- mostly sailors and Marines -- involved in Southwest Asia around Iraq, enforcing maritime sanctions in the Arabian Sea and two no-fly zones over Iraq. These operations have strained U.S. troop readiness and quality of life: operational tempo (OPTEMPO -- the work pace for maintenance, repairs and combat training) has increased, keeping soldiers away from their families for long periods of time, equipment is being cannibalized, and training is suffering.

None of this bothers this President -- whose upcoming travel plans may include Antarctica. His staff later acknowledged such a trip would impose significant "logistical problems" (that is, that the lack of infrastructure in Antarctica would create even greater -- and more costly -- logistical requirements than those posed by the trip to Africa). This has not deterred President Clinton; press reports claim he is still considering an Antarctica escape. He has also voiced a desire to see Vietnam -- despite his refusal to accept a previous Air Force offer to fly him there for free some 30 years ago.

How Do These Trips Stack Up?...

The data provided by the GAO report, which estimates the costs of President Clinton's 1998 trips to Africa, Chile and China, allows for some interesting comparisons:

The accounting system used by the Pentagon to estimate flight costs gives the President the same rate as that charged for sending soldiers sent to Bosnia, Haiti, and East Timor. According to press reports, the Pentagon usually charges non-defense customers roughly 33 percent extra. [St. Louis Post Dispatch, 1/10/99]

Under these less generous calculations, airlift for Clinton's trips to China, Africa, and Chile would have cost roughly $70 million, bringing the Pentagon's total cost to approximately $77 million. Adding back in the non-defense costs of the trips, the grand total of taxpayers money spent on the three trips would reach just over $90 million.

Clinton also traveled to nine other countries in 1998 alone (since 1993, he's visited 59 different countries, many of them more than one time), but the cost of those trips has not been calculated.

The total cost to the Pentagon of the President's three trips -- $60.5 million -- could buy some 3,000 Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) smart bombs. These are the bombs the U.S. used so widely, and ran low on, during the war in Kosovo.

904 members of the Pentagon accompanied the President to Africa, a number equivalent to one U.S. Army battalion.

While one of the objectives of the President's trip to Africa was "to promote U.S. investment, trade, and economic growth" in that country, the Commerce and Treasury Departments only sent three people each, while the Treasury and U.S. Trade Representative each were represented by only one person. Meanwhile, the White House brought along over 200 people and the U.S. Information Agency brought over 100 travelers. And, How Was The Military Used?

The number of missions flown (excluding helicopter missions): Africa -- 148; Chile -- 36; China -- 47.

The number of military flight hours for each trip: Africa -- 3,508; Chile -- 716; China -- 1,017.

5 different types of passenger aircraft; 4 different types of strategic-lift aircraft; and 2 different types of aerial refueling aircraft were flown.

5 different types of helicopters were used to support the Africa trip; 2 different types of helicopters were used for the Chile trip.

[Wolverine]

Excerpt:

Fuss Over a Flight

Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), the ranking Democrat on the House Government Reform Committee, asked Congress' investigative arm to prepare a full accounting of the trip, given Fleischer's new explanation for the jet ride.

But Fleischer said the cost of making the journey in a helicopter would have been virtually identical to what it cost for the jet ride. He said both aircraft cost about $7,000 an hour to operate.

Fleischer rejected Byrd's criticism, saying: "More than 100 Americans paid the ultimate price to defend our country, and the president is proud to have visited the Abraham Lincoln to say 'thank you' in person. Our servicemen and women deserve no less."

[Wolverine]

Excerpt

Administration defends Bush's jet flight to aircraft carrier

But this official also said that in the end, the cost of the jet might actually be lower because it made the trip in less time than a helicopter would have. Navy officials said the costs were roughly equal -- about $5,000 an hour.

The Navy also said there would be S-3 training flights regardless of whether the president was coming aboard, suggesting there were no additional costs related to the president's trip.

 

[anymouse]

ping

[jrushing]

during 1998 President Clinton spent $72.1 million of the taxpayers' money to bring 2,401 people with him to eight countries

Now for comparison. Someone see if you can find the thread that totaled up Dubya's flight to the carrier

LOOK at the DEMS!!

Democrats on the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee said costs could top $1 million!!!

washingtonpost.com

Democrats Question Cost of Bush's Sea Landing Reuters Wednesday, May 7, 2003; 6:47 PM

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats in Congress on Wednesday demanded to know the costs of President Bush's jet landing on an aircraft carrier last week that they branded a costly political stunt.

The Bush administration disclosed on Tuesday that Bush insisted on landing on the USS Lincoln in a S-3B Viking jet even though the carrier was within helicopter range because he wanted to share the pilots' experience. The ship was returning from the Gulf region after the U.S.-led war in Iraq.

Democrats on the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee said costs could top $1 million. They included delaying the USS Lincoln that was steaming from the Gulf to San Diego, California, an extra day of air patrols, keeping the crew at sea, presidential security and flying Bush to the ship.

The Democrats issued a news release headed 'shameless' in large red type that cited the 'nerve required to delay the return of 4,000 sailors to their families after 10 months at sea in order to stage (a) photo-op.'

Bush, wearing a flight suit, made a jet landing and posed with crew members to mark the end of major combat in Iraq. The landing was widely televised and received extensive media coverage throughout the day.

Rep. Henry Waxman of California, the House Government Reform Committee's top Democrat, called for the General Accounting Office to examine the costs.

A Navy official, speaking on condition of anonymity, disputed that Bush's visit added significant costs, and said it did not delay the carrier's return to its home port in Washington state.

'The operating cost of an aircraft carrier is about a million dollars a day. But it got to where it was supposed to be on time,' he said.

The White House said the Lincoln had made faster progress than expected and was 30 miles offshore for the presidential visit.

White House spokesman Ari Fleischer rejected charges that the jet landing was political theater.

'I think that the 5,000 sailors on that ship recognized this for what it was, the president going out there to say thank you to those who risked their lives,' Fleischer said.

On Tuesday, he said Bush wanted to land by jet to 'allow him to see an aircraft landing the same way that the pilots saw an aircraft landing.

Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia, the Senate's senior Democrat, said: 'I am loath to think of an aircraft carrier being used as an advertising backdrop for a presidential political slogan.'

© 2003 Reuters

[linton59]

Can you find the tab for the Mom-and-daughter graduation trip around the world, (Mama C and Baby C) ??

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the heads up!

[Wolverine]

See this report with very interesting charts

 

Bill Clinton: America’s Best-Traveled President
A Study of Presidential Travel: 1953-2001
NTU Policy Paper 104

By John Berthoud and Demian Brady
March 16, 2001

VII. Conclusion

Bill Clinton came to office in 1993 aware of the public’s concern with excessive Presidential travel. During the 1992 Presidential campaign, Clinton even made an issue of this when he criticized his opponent, President George H. W. Bush, for spending too much time overseas and dodging his responsibilities at home. While in New Hampshire, candidate Clinton stated, "It is time for us to have a president who cares more about Littleton, N.H., than about Liechtenstein; more about Manchester than Micronesia."17

Later that year at the Democratic National Convention in New York, "George Bush’s Around the World Tour" T-shirts were distributed, which listed all of the countries visited by Bush. Ironically, by the time he left office in January 2001, Clinton had become the all-time champion of Presidential travel. He set Presidential records such as 1) total visits, 2) visits per year, 3) total days abroad, and 4) days abroad per year.

The various controversies of the closing days of his Administration have led to fresh questions about Bill Clinton and the Presidency itself. This paper suggests new tough questions that need to be asked about Bill Clinton and Presidential travel. First, do Presidents in the post-Cold War era need to travel as much as Clinton did? Second, what about costs? We want Presidents to travel safely, but do taxpayers have to shell out as much for all future Presidential trips as they did for Clinton’s trips? Third, how extensive was the abuse of federal travel during the Clinton years? Were the thousands of invited guests all needed? Were the travel perks given to Bettie Currie and Kathleen Willey exceptions to the rule or part of a far more common pattern?

With a new President in the Oval Office, Congress and the American public may want to review the facts of Bill Clinton’s travels and seek answers to these important questions.

John Berthoud is President of the National Taxpayers Union.

Demian Brady is a Policy Analyst with the National Taxpayers Union.

[LurkerNoMore!]

Good find, Dog.

Thanks for the heads-up, Mr. Stultis.

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[Grampa Dave]

Thanks this needs to be sent to every rat that is bitching about a single flight back to the AL, that would have headed back anyway.

[MeekOneGOP]

Bill Clinton came to office in 1993 aware of the public’s concern with excessive Presidential travel. During the 1992 Presidential campaign, Clinton even made an issue of this when he criticized his opponent, President George H. W. Bush, for spending too much time overseas and dodging his responsibilities at home. While in New Hampshire, candidate Clinton stated, "It is time for us to have a president who cares more about Littleton, N.H., than about Liechtenstein; more about Manchester than Micronesia."17

Later that year at the Democratic National Convention in New York, "George Bush’s Around the World Tour" T-shirts were distributed, which listed all of the countries visited by Bush. Ironically, by the time he left office in January 2001, Clinton had become the all-time champion of Presidential travel. He set Presidential records such as 1) total visits, 2) visits per year, 3) total days abroad, and 4) days abroad per year.

The various controversies of the closing days of his Administration have led to fresh questions about Bill Clinton and the Presidency itself.

Why am I NOT surprised? Hypocrisy in the 'RAT party is so prevalent. This is the same administration that was going to have the 'most ethical administration' in U.S. history. Yeah, right ! Another promise broken !!

Let's compare and contrast the current President Bush with x42 Xlintoon:

[MeekOneGOP]

Bill Clinton finds his pa!

92 posted on 05/05/2003 10:47 AM CDT by Slip18 (I don't have a tag tag.)

Warning!  Warning!  Warning!
Click wav or mp3 to hear Clinton.

[Grampa Dave]

Your collection great graphic art spoofs and reality of the World Class Clymer, the Clintoon, keeps getting better everyday.

[TruthNtegrity]

And the Dims are complaining about the flight to the USS Abraham Lincoln to welcome the troops home after 9-1/2 months at sea? Sheesh.

We all need to print this out and keep these facts at hand, when we makes those telephone calls to Congresscritters to complain about their wailing about the jet landing on the carrier by our former Air National Guard F-12 jet fighter pilot President!!!

[MeekOneGOP]

hehe ! Thanks.

[Stultis]

See Also:

Clinton: Most Expensive Presidential Trip Ever

[Wolverine]

Truly magnificent AND SO RIGHT ON THE MARK!

[MeekOneGOP]

hehe ! :O)